Maggie Shayne

Maggie Shayne was born and raised in a rural area near Syracuse, New York.

Even as a child, Shayne liked to tell stories and rewrite the endings of some she had read, as well as those of the horror movies she loved to watch.[2] Her first attempt at a novel did not come until she was older, when she wove a story in her head while trying to comfort a sick baby. Because she had been in the mood to read a romance novel that day, the story she envisioned was also a romance. Within days, she had transferred her story to paper, writing longhand on a yellow pad.[3] Realizing that if she ever planned to be a published writer she would need a typewriter, Shayne took a job watching a neighbor's horses so that she could earn the money to buy her first typewriter. She soon finished three manuscripts, which she was unable to sell. Her fortunes changed when Harlequin launched their Shadows line. Shayne sent a query letter to let them know that: "I'm just jumping up and down; so happy that you have created a line especially for me!" Although the editor rejected her first book, Shayne's enthusiasm impressed her enough that she asked to see more novels, and purchased the second.[4] That novel became the first of Shayne's Wings in the Night series, which was so popular that Silhouette asked Shayne to continue writing the series even after the Shadows line was closed.[5]

Since then, Shayne has had over 70 novels published, including women's fiction, thrillers, romantic suspense, paranormal, category romance. She has also published several non-fiction titles in the area of spiritual self-help.[4] She has written for five publishers including (Avon Books, St. Martin's Press, Penguin Putnam, Spilled Candy Books, and MIRA Books).[2][3][6] Her paranormal romances seamlessly "combine the hearts of two such diverse genres as romance and horror" which proclaim that "the key is the redemption of the monster by the sheer power of love."[2] Many of her novels "[blend] mysticism into everyday life in a good vs. evil scenario."[7]

As a sideline, Shayne also worked as a writer for the soap operas Guiding Light and As the World Turns, and even considered accepting the position of co-head-writer before deciding to devote her time to her novels.[1][8]

Her novels have appeared on the USA Today, Booksense and Waldenbooks bestseller lists, and Twilight Hunger reached Number 18 on the New York Times Bestseller List.[4] Many of her books have been chosen by Doubleday Bookclub, the Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Bookclub.[6] On her thirteenth nomination for a Romance Writers of America RITA Award, Shayne finally won the prestigious award, which is the romance community's equivalent of an Academy Award. She has also won three Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine.[6]

Shayne is very interested in the culture and religion of ancient Sumer, and includes some of her research in her novels, including Destiny.[4][7] After several years of study at the Black Forest Clan, a chartered Wiccan seminary, Shayne has become a High Priestess and an Elder in the Wicca religion, and has been licensed as a minister. Shayne has founded her own coven, the Hawks of RavenMyst, in a "tradition" (similar to a denomination), known as the RavenMyst Circle, that she helped found.[1][4][9]

Shayne has five grown daughters.[4] She married Lance on Valentine's Day in 2014. She resides in a small town in upstate New York.[3]

1. The Littlest Cowboy (in A Brand of Christmas and The Texas Brand: In the Beginning)
2. The Baddest Virgin in Texas (in The Texas Brand: In the Beginning)
3. Badlands Bad Boy (in The Texas Brand: In the Beginning)
4. Long Gone Lonesome Blues FORMERLY The Husband She Couldn't Remember
5. The Lone Cowboy FORMERLY That Mysterious Texas Brand Man
6. Lone Star Lonely FORMERLY The Baddest Bride in Texas
7. The Outlaw Bride
8. Texas Angel FORMERLY Angel Meets the Badman
9. Texas Homecoming FORMERLY The Homecoming

1. The Brands Who Came for Christmas (in A Brand of Christmas and Stranger in Town)
2. Brand-New Heartache (in Stranger in Town)
3. Secrets and Lies
4. A Mommy For Christmas FORMERLY Feels Like Home
5. One Magic Summer FORMERLY Dangerous Lover
6. Sweet Vidalia Brand

1. Thicker Than Water
2. Colder Than Ice
3. Darker Than Midnight

1. Reckless FORMERLY Reckless Angel
2. Forgotten FORMERLY Forgotten Vows
3. Broken FORMERLY Kiss of the Shadow Man
4. Hollow FORMERLY The Bride Wore a Forty-Four
5. Hunted

Also called Bliss in Big Falls.

1. Oklahoma Christmas Blues
2. Oklahoma Moonshine
3. Oklahoma Starshine FORMERLY Oklahoma Sunlight
4. Shine on Oklahoma FORMERLY Oklahoma Starlight
5. Christmas Blues (in Buckles, Boots and Mistletoe and Baby By Christmas)

1. Forgotten
2. Magic by Moonlight FORMERLY Musketeer by Moonlight
3. Miranda's Viking
4. Everything She Does is Magic
5. Stargazer FORMERLY Out-of-This-World Marriage
6. Witch Moon
7. Zombies! A Love Story

• Forever, Dad
• A Husband in Time
• Million Dollar Marriage
• The Gingerbread Man
• Enemy Mind
• That Mysterious Man